| When considering touring Italy, most
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| | Roman era, sophistication and great
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| visitors probably want to see the major
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| | beauty. The ancient heart of the city
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| cities of Florence, Rome, Venice.
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| | contains a huge amphitheatre built by the
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| Without a doubt, these are the highlights
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| | Romans in the 1st century AD. This
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| for a reason. But smaller towns can
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| | arena, one of the largest outside of the
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| provide a better understanding of Italian
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| | Roman coliseum, is now restored and used
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| history and offer their own fascination.
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| | as an opera house during the summer
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| These places were the backdrop for the
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| | season. It makes up one side of the
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| struggle for power that comprised much of
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| | Piazza Bra, the gracious town square.
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| the drama of Italian history.Cremona,
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| | The tourist information office is also
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| founded by the Romans in 218 BC, is quite
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| | located there.Even if you don't come
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| simply the violin capital of the world.
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| | during the opera season, there is the
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| The streets are lined with the shops of
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| | lure of romance at 23 Via Cappello,
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| makers of all manner of stringed
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| | Juliet's House. The story of Romeo and
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| instruments. You can see a demonstration
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| | Juliet has some basis in truth. The
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| of violin-making and make a visit to the
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| | house and its balcony form a popular
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| collezione di Palazzo Comunale where the
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| | attraction. Verona also has intimate
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| town collection is on display. These
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| | street markets lined with buildings still
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| beloved instruments - the oldest by
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| | showing their early frescoes (Piazza
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| Andrea Amati dates back to 1566 - are
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| | delle Erbe) and elegant shopping streets
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| played regularly to keep them in good
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| | paved with marble (Via Mazzini).Called
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| physical condition.It's hard to miss the
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| | the capital of the Este family, who
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| town's connection with Stradivarius, who
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| | flourished around the 13th to 15th
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| is perhaps the most famous of the
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| | centuries, Ferrara is famous for its wide
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| illustrious line of violin-makers of
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| | streets and Renaissance palaces.
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| Cremona. The Stradivarian Museum
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| | Originally a medieval town, by the end of
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| contains objects from his workshop,
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| | the 1400s the city was sufficiently
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| there's a statue to him on the Piazza
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| | prosperous that Duke Ercole I
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| Stradivari and there's the Tomb of
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| | commissioned an architect to create a new
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| Stradivari in the Piazza Roma. The
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| | Renaissance city and join it to the older
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| International Violinmakers School is also
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| | medieval section. The project included
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| located in Cremona at the Palazzo
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| | constructing new palaces, villas and
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| Raimondi. If you aren't on a tour, your
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| | parks with a clearly more modern and airy
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| first stop should be the tourist
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| | feel. Here again, try to arrange for a
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| information office in the Piazza del
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| | tour of the castles. It is the history,
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| Comune, for a map and information.Parma
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| | the stories of the people who lived,
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| is the next stop and it is indeed the
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| | loved and fought that brings meaning to
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| home of the famed Parma ham and
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| | these stone buildings.Ferrara is best
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| Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Although
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| | known for its University founded in 1222,
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| famous for its food, Parma was once the
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| | among the oldest in Europe and the
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| capital of a grand duchy ruled over by
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| | Scrovegni Chapel with its frescoes
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| the Farnese family. It was, for a time,
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| | produced by the artist Giotto. There are
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| a possession of Austria. It is also
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| | 36 frescoes depicting the lives of Mary
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| known for a scent produced locally,
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| | and Jesus. Plant lovers will probably
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| Violetta di Parma.The town associated
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| | want to visit the Botanical Garden
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| with the famous composer Giuseppe Verdi
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| | founded in 1545 containing rare plants
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| is Roncole where he was born. It has
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| | and the old library and botany collection
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| since changed its name to Roncole-Verdi
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| | of the University.Without a doubt, Venice
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| in his honor. His home is the main
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| | deserves its reputation. It is a
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| attraction of the tiny village. His
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| | heart-breakingly beautiful city. Built
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| professional career began when Antonio
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| | on 117 separate islands, Venice has an
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| Barezzi, a wealthy merchant, asked him to
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| | extensive water bus system (as well as
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| move to Busseto and become a music
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| | water taxis) rather than ground
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| teacher for his daughter, Margherita.
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| | transportation. It has narrow paths,
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| Barezzi became not only Verdi's patron,
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| | houses whose front doors literally open
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| but also his father-in-law when Verdi
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| | onto the water and no cars and around
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| married Margherita in 1836. A monument
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| | every corner is a canal and a bridge and
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| to Verdi overlooks the town square, which
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| | one magnificent building after another.
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| is also the site of the annual Verdi
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| | But it is also a tourist magnet with all
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| Festival. There is, of course, a museum
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| | the problems that go with that
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| to the famous son and a tiny gem of a
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| | popularity.The cruise ships pull in and
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| theatre built in his honor. It is said
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| | disgorge thousands of visitors who line
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| that Verdi never actually set foot in the
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| | up to visit St. Mark's Basilica, buy
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| theater which opened in 1868. Verdi was
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| | gelato in the Piazza San Marco and stroll
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| against building it, saying the theater
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| | along the Grand Canal. And for some
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| was too expensive and would be useless in
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| | reason you won't be able to understand,
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| the future. But the town fathers went
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| | they like to feed the pigeons and have
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| ahead regardless of his resistance. He
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| | their picture taken covered in birds.
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| was absent at its opening even though one
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| | Venice is also a big city with the hustle
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| of his most famous operas, Rigoletto, was
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| | and bustle of commerce. Part of that
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| performed. The elegant theater has been
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| | commerce is the lucrative tourist trade.
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| restored and reopened, but in a sense
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| | There's no shortage of shops catering to
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| Verdi was right. It only holds 300
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| | visitors selling Venetian masks, Murano
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| people.As you journey from one city to
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| | glass and more.Venice is divided into
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| another, it soon becomes clear that the
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| | sestieres or boroughs. The most famous
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| history of Italy is intertwined with the
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| | is San Marco which contains the major
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| story of the Gonzagas, one of the richest
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| | sights. Visit the Galleria dell'Academia
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| and most powerful families. Mantova was
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| | with its collection of Venetian masters
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| the seat of that dynasty. The 500-room
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| | and the Peggy Guggenheim Gallery with its
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| Ducal Palace (Palazzo Ducale) took
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| | more modern works. Stand near the Bridge
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| centuries to build. The Palazzo Te,
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| | of Sighs that links the Doges' Palace to
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| built by Federigo Gonzaga for his
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| | the old prisons.The pity of Venice is
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| mistress, stands outside of the walled
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| | that it is sinking into the lagoon.
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| part of the city. Mantova has ancient
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| | During rains the water can rise up and
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| stone churches, many small shops, lovely
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| | cover the piazzas, seep into hotel
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| squares and sidewalk cafes.If it isn't
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| | lobbies and threaten the viability of a
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| already, Verona may become your favorite
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| | beautiful marvel of engineering. And in
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| city. It has everything, tumultuous
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| | the summer it is overrun with tourists.
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| history, ruins stretching back to the
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| | But see it anyway. It is worth it.
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